Slide operated fastener



Feh'li, 1 947. R c, LEGAT sum; OPERATED msmmn 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Sept. .24, 1943 v INVENTR 1 805522" a LEG/1r WITNESS m ATTORNEYS Feb. 11, 1947. c. G T I 2,415,643

' sum: OPERATED As'rENEn led Sept. 24, 194:: ZSheets-Shet 2 'wnNEss INVENTQRZ 035/576, E6197 0%. w BY,

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 11, 1947 SLIDE OPERATED FASTENER Robert C. Legat, New Britain, Conn, assignor tow The G. E. Prentice Mfg. 00., Kensington, Gonn.,

a corporation of Connecticut Application September 24, 1943, Serial No. 503,614

' 7 Claims. 1 This invention relates to slide fasteners, and more particularly to improvements in the construction of such fasteners.

Considered generally, slide fasteners include two stringer tapes provided on their opposed longitudinal edges with complemental series of mating or interlocking fastener elements which are interlocked or disengaged by means of a manually operable slider movable longitudinally of the stringers. As usually constructed, the fastener elements are independent units made of metal or plastic material and secured to the fabric tapes by clinching, sewing or cohering. Usually also, the sliders are constructed so that 'the elements are disengaged or interlocked in the plane of the fabric tapes.

The principal purpose of the present invention is to provide novel and improved slide fastener stringers in which the interlocking elements are an integral part thereof and which can be readily manufactured in quantity at a relatively low cost, will be eifective in operation and will have unusual wearing qualities.

A further object of .the invention is to provide a novel slider construction which lends itself admirably to use on stringers constructed in accordance with the invention.

Other objects, as well as the novel features of construction of the invention will be in part apparent and in part hereinafter pointed out in connection with the followin description of the invention when read in connection with the accompaying drawings, in which Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of a fastener stringer which incorporates the improvements of the present invention and which is shown in an intermediate stage of construction; Figs. 2 and 3 are plan views of portions of completed complemental stringers constructed from blanks such as ShOWl'lln' Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower portion of a complete partially closed slide fastener embodying the invention; Fig. 5 is a side view of the construction shown in Fig. 4, such view being taken from the left hand side of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the other side of the slide fastener construction illustrated in Fig. 4; Fig.7is a sectional view taken along the line '|l of'Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a plan view of a portion of a slide fastener embodying another form of the invention; Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 99 of Fig. 8; Fig; 10 is a perspective view of a portion of 2 two complemental stringers made in accordance with another form of the invention, the two stringer portions being shown in Fig. 10, in separated condition; Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 12 shows a-portion of a stringer blank made in accordance with still another form of the invention; Fig. 13 is a top view of the slider shown in Figs. 4 to 6 and Fig. 14 is a bottom view of such slider, the two end views showing the slider separated from the fastener and omitting the pull tab thereof for the sake of clearness.

In the fastener construction illustrated in Figs. 2 to '7 of the drawings, the flexible supports or stringers thereof are indicated by the numerals l and 2 while the interlocking elements of such stringers are designated by the numerals 3 and 4',

respectively. As is shown more clearly in Fig.

1 of the drawings, each stringer includes a fabric tape 5 which is twice the width of the final form ofthe stringer, and upon the interior surface of which is positioned a centrally disposed, longitudinally extending strip 6 of cellulose plastic material, such as, Celluloid. The Celluloid, strip 6 is'adhered to the tape 5 by either first brushing the tape with, or dipping it into a suitable cement, such as, a solution of liquid Celluloid made by dissolving the Celluloid in acetone, and then while'the tape is in a moistened condition, applying the'strip B of Celluloid to the surface of the tape. The composite structure is then dried to unit the material of the strip 6 to the tape 5 through the plastic material which has been impregnated in the tape by the brushing or dipping operation. It will be noted that the thus treated portions of the tape 5 will become stiffened and strengthened by the plastic material which has been thoroughly impregnated in the fibers of the tape. The entire width of the fabric tape 5 may be treated with the plastic cement or only the central portion thereof to a width at least equal to the width of the Celluloid strip.

6. The fiat composite strip or stringer is then blanked out to provide a centrally disposed, longitudinally extending series of connecting strips I (Fig. 1) from which are formed the interlocking elements of the stringers. The connecting strips 1 may be formedby the blanking operation to give the interlocking elements any desired 1 shape. In the blank illustrated in Fig. 1, the

posite strip is then shaped to give it the stringer form shown in Figs. 2 to 7 of the drawings, by

folding the strip along its longitudinal center I line about a forming pin or rod with the aid of heat to cause the central portion of the tape 5 and the Celluloid strip 6 to assume ,a looped shape, as is shown more clearly in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the connecting strips I forming a series of spaced loops whose sides are spaced apart and integral with longitudinally extending portions and from which depend the now arcuatelyshaped portions 8. As is shown in Figs. .2, 3 and 7,- the thus formed loops constitute the interlocking elements 3 and l of the stringers I and 2 respectively, while the arcuately-shaped projections form the locking portions 9 and Ill, respectively, I of such elements. While the two stringers I and 2 are constructed in the mannerjust described, they differ in the respect that the stringer I is formed so that the loop-like interlocking elements 3 thereof are in staggered relation with respect to the loop-like interlocking elements 4 of the stringer 2. Thus the downwardly projecting portions 9 of the locking elements in stringer I are enabled to interlock with the loop-:shaped locking elements 4 oi stringer 2, while the downwardly projecting portions! of the elements of stringer 2' are enabled to interlock with the loop-shaped elements 3 of stringer I, asis shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 7 of the drawings. 'I'his interlocking action may be accomplished by progressively bringing the ele- In Figs. 4 to s, 13 and 14 of the drawings there is illustrated a novel form of slider for accomplishing the interlocking of the stringers in a l direction at right angles to the flat surfaces thereof. The slider includes a front plate- II and .aarear plate l2, the former of which has connected thereto a bail I3: on which is movably mounted a pull tab I4 by which the slider may be moved manually longitudinally of the stringers. The two plates I and I2 are substantially the same width throughout their lengths, and the lower portions thereof are disposed in substantial'parallelism while the upper portions thereof, from a point approximately midway of the slider, diverge away from each other, so that such plates form a substantially Y-shaped space therebetween (see Figs. 5 and 6). The front or upper plate II is arcuately-shaped in transverse section throughout its length to provide an arcuately-shaped channel I5 on its interior surface adapted to receive the front portions of the loop-like interlocking elements 3 and 4 of the stringers, the upper end of such plate in the region of such channel being provided with -a central recess I6, (Fig. 4) to reduce to a minimum frictional contact with the elements l of ments channel I5 in the lower portiompf the,

slider but is of such dimensions that it ngages only a small portion of the rear surfaces of the loop-like interlocking elements, thereby enabling the thickness or depth 01' the rear portion of the slider to be reduced to a minimum while still afiording a positive guiding channel for the interlocked elements passing through the slider. It is to be noted also that the arc of curvature of channel I1 is such that such channel engages only with the undersurfaces oi the elements 3 and 4, while the channel I5 spans the upper surfaces "of such elements and extends over the adjacent edge portions of the stringers from which such elements project. The working of the slider on the stringers will thus tend to flatten the underside of the stringers as much as possible, while on the outer sides thereof the interlocking elements in their locked condition will form a pronounced longitudinally extending head. The rear plate I2 at its upper end termihates in a straight edge extending straight across the back of the slider at a point above the bottom of recess I6, (see Fig. 4) such straight upper edge being designated I8 in Fig. 13 of the drawings. Theunder surface of plate I2 along such edge I8 is beveled to enable it to ride over undergarments without catching. The upper ends of the plates I I and I2 are provided on opposite sides of the slider with guide flange portions I9 and 20, respectively, (see Figs. 5 and 6) whose inner side edges are obliquely inclined in opposite directions and are in substantial spaced parallelism with the opposed side edge portions of the opposite plates. There is thus formed on each side of the slider between the spaced plates II and I2, an elongated slot through which the associated stringer'moves in the operation of the slider and which in the lower portion of the slider is in parallelism with the other slot and which in the upper portion of the slider is disposed at an angle to the other slot, compare Figs. 5 and 6. Theflange portions I9 and 20 are connected together at their upper ends by a substantially triangularly-shaped separating member 2|, which extends at right angles to such flange portions and transversely of thelongitudinal axis of the slider to bridge the space between such flange portions (see Flgs. 5 and 6).

From the foregoing, it will be observed that when the slider is moved towards the top of the stringers I and 2, the interlocking elements 3 and 4 thereof entering the slider will be positioned by the plates l I and I2 and member 2| and their associated parts in overlying relation,

note Fig. 4, which shows the interlocking elements 4 overlying the interlocking elements 3. As the interlocking elements pass through the upper portion of the slider, the inclined upper portions of plates II and I2 progressively bring such elementstogether at an angle until the upper end of lower half of the slider is reached where such elements are pressed sidewise into interlocking relation, with the locking portions 9 and I0 thereof positioned within such loop-like elements. The-interlocked elements 3 and 4 of the stringers then pass through the lower portionof the slider. In their interlocked relation, see below the slider in Fig. 4, the looking portions 9 and I0 will, through their engagement with the interior upper portions of the interlocking elements 3 and 4, eflectively prevent opening of the stringers under transverse stresses applied to the stringers. When the slider is ing into the upper portion of the slider are proin its locking and wearing qualities.

. gressively separated by the guide flange portions I9 and 20 and the wedge-shaped member 2!. As the disengaging or unlocking of v the fastener elements is thus mainly controlled by the action of the guide flange portions l9 and 20 on the stringers along those portions thereof adjacent to the bases of the interlocking elements 3 and 4 the wear on the interlocking elements and particularly their locking portions 9 and I0, respectively, is reduced to a minimum. This novel locking and interlocking action of this slider also has been found to be facilitated and to be much easier and smoother than the method of operation of the usual slider due principally it is believed, to the fact that this slider offers practically no resistance to the passage of the elements per se through the slider. The slider can be constructed of metal or any other suitable material but it is preferred to make it of cellulose plastic material, the peculiar construction of the slider making it readily adaptable to the use of such material. The usual top and bottom stops which limit the range of movement of the slider on the stringers may also be made of plastic material.

It is believed apparent from the above description, that the present invention provides an effective and practical fastener construction which can be made readily and in large quantities from inexpensive materials. The rigidifying of the portions of the fabric stringers from which the interlocking elements are made, by the cellulose material, provides aresulting construction which has stood up remarkably well under test and compares quite favorably with metallic elements These results have been accomplished without material sacrifice of flexibility of thestringers. Further- While in Figs. 1 to '7 of the drawings, there has been illustrated a preferred form of the invention, it will be at once apparent to those in the art, that such construction can be modified and changed without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus in the construction illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the

' stringers 25 and 26 are formed so that the plastic more the construction lends itself to a more exact matching of the' fastener with the material of the garment with which it is to be used and opens a new field in the design of garmentsembodying faste'ners of this type. Also the thinness and weight of the fastener can be reduced to a minimum thus making the fastener admirably suited for use with flimsy materials, such as under-garment material, where the fact that the fabric covering of the elements will come into contact with the skin of the user makes the fastener more comfortable to wear than those fasteners which are provided with metallic elements. The slider of this fastener facilitates the accomplishment of these results because it is of minimum thickness at the back of the-fastener. Furthermore the form of the back or rear plate of the slider reduces to a minimum any tendency of the slider catching on the underclothes or skin of the user. It will be noted also, that due to the peculiar construction of the interlocking elements, the use of a slider can be entirely dispensed with, the user closing the fastener simply by holding the stringers in proper'overlying relation and running his or her finger or some object such as a comb up the locking elements to progressively interlock them. This is of special advantage in short stringers, such as are simply by pressing the elements together in interlocked relation with the use of two fingers. For such uses of the fastener where the slider is not employed, a fastening device such as a button or snap may be provided at the upper end of the stringers to prevent inadvertentopening of the fastener while in use by transverse stresses applied on the garment material above the fastener.

- used on skirts, where the fastener may bev closed strips 21 and 28 are positioned on the exterior sides of the stringer tapes instead of being positioned iriteriorlythereof as in the construction previously described. This construction has the advantage over the previously described construction in that the slider action is improved by reason of the fact that throughout its range of movement, it is in engagement with the smoother plastic material. Furthermore, with this construction there is prevented any possibility of the fabric .material becoming frayed in usage. Also this construction lends itself readily to the producing of novel and pleasing design effects not capable of being accomplished by the previous construction. The construction illustrated in Fig. 8 also demonstrates how a slider 29 of somewhat usual form can be used with the fastener of this invention.

Instead of employing only one strip of cellulose material in they construction of each stringer, two strips of plastic material may be connected to such fabric stringer tape, one on each side thereof. A fastener made in accordance with this methodis illustrated in Fig. 11 of the drawhave been suitably formed in the mannerpreviously described to provide the locking elements or members 32 and 33, respectively, with their interlocking portions 34 and 35, respectively.

- The plastic stringers 30 and 31 maybe suitably secured to the edges of a garment by means of stitches, or plastic material'for such securing purposes may be provided-on the inner surfaces of the folded portions of the stripsby means of a suitable solvent and the stringers then secured to the garment material. In the latter form the stringers 30 and 31 need only be made sufliciently Wide to provide a suitable runway for the slider.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 12 of the drawings, the use of a plastic strip has been dispensed with,the stringer being constructed solely by thoroughly impregnating the fabric tape 35 with plastic material along a longitudinally extending, centrally disposed area 31. The reinforced impregnated portion of the tape is then blanked out to provide the connecting portions 38 with their downwardly extending interlocking members 39 and the thus blanked tape is then formed inthe manner previously described to provide the fastener stringer. It has been found that the thus treated central portion of the tape is so rigidified and stiffened by the cellulose material that the interlocking elements formed j therefrom will satisfactorily accomplish the purposes of the invention. v

While I have illustrated and described several 7 embodiments which my invention may take in Practice, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that further changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fastener of the slide operated type comprising a pair of stringers, each composed of a strip of non-metallic material having a substantially uniform thickness and having a longitudinally extending loop-shaped fold forming the fastening edge of the stringer, the strip along such edge having a series of equally spaced-cut-outs extending into such edge a distance less than the transverse dimension of such loop-shaped fold to provide from the base of such fold two longitudinally extending sections and to provide from the outer longitudinal portion of such fold,

a longitudinally extending series of spaced transverse sections whose sides are integral with said longitudinal sections and which project outwardly therefrom, each transverse section having its sides spaced apart and being substantially loopshaped and said transverse sections having interlocking projections adapted to interlock with the loop-shaped transverse sections on the other stringer, the portions of said longitudinal secthan thetransverse dimension of such loopshaped fold to provide from such fold two longitudinally extending sections and a longitudinally extending series of spaced loop-shaped transverse sections whose sides are integral with said longitudinally extending sections and which project outwardly therefrom, the fabric material of said longitudinally extending and transverse sections being rigidified by hardened non-metallic material, said loop-shaped transverse sections having interlocking projections adapted to interlock with the loop-shaped transverse sections on the other stringer and said longitudinally extending sections diverging from each other toprovide a pair of longitudinally extending guideways for a slider, the longitudinal portions of said stringer adjacent to said divergent fold sections being in substantial parallelism.

3. A fastener of the slide operated type comprising a pair of stringers, each including a strip of fabric material having a longitudinally extending loop-shaped fold along the fastening edge of the stringer, the strip along such edge having a series of equally spaced cut-outs extending into such edge a distance less than the transverse dimension of such loop-shaped fold to provide impregnated with a hardened non-metallic material, a second strip of flexible material having substantially the same configuration as said fabric strip in the regions of said longitudinally extending and transverse sections and adhered to the latter by said non-metallic material so that said longitudinally extending and transverse sections are constituted of a rigidifled composite layer ofsubstantially uniform thickness and the remainder of said stringer is constituted of unrigidified fabric material, each transverse section having its sides spaced apart and being substantially loop-shaped and said transverse sections having interlocking projections adapted to interlock with the loop-shaped transverse sections on the other stringer, the portions of said longitudinally extending sections from which said transverse sections project diverging from each other towards the sides of said transverse sections to provide a pair of longitudinally extending guideways for a slider and the longitudinal portions of said fold sections adjacent to said divergent portions being in substantial parallelism.

4. A fastener such as defined in claim 3, in which said flexible strip is adhered to the ln terior surface of said fabric strip so that the loop-shaped transverse sections and the longitudinally extending sections of said composite layer are constituted of an interior layer of the flexible strip of material and an exterior layer of .the impregnated fabric material and have an appearance similar to the non-impregnated longitudinal portions of said fabric strip.

5. A fastener such as defined in claim 3, in .which said flexible strip is composed of plastic material adhered to the exterior surface of said fabric strip so that the loop-shaped transverse wgections formed from the composite layer are ct'mstituted of an interior layer of the impregnatedv fabric material and an exterior layer of the flexible material, and the said rigidified longitudinally extending sections of said composite layer forming the guideways for a slider have smooth guiding surfaces which facilitate the sliding action of the slider.

6. A fastener such as defined in claim 3 in which said flexible strip is composed of plastic material adhered to the interior surface of said fabric strip and including a second strip of plastic material having the same conflgurationas said fabric strip in the regions of said longitudinally extending and transverse sections and adhered to the same whereby the loop-shaped transverse wards the Sides of said transverse sections to i 1 sections andthe longitudinally extending sections of such composite layer are constituted of two outer layers of plastic material and an intermediate. layer of rigidified fabric material, the

50 outer layer of plastic material providing smooth surfaces to facilitate the sliding action of the slider.

' 7. A slide operated fastener comprising a pair of stringers each composed of a strip of nonmetallic material having a longitudinally extendfrom such fold two longitudinally extending sections and a longitudinally extending series of spaced loop-shaped transverse sections whose sides are integral with said longitudinally extending sections and which project outwardly therefrom, said fabric strip in the regions of said longitudinally extending and transverse sections being ing loop-shaped fold along one edge of the stringer, the loop-shaped folded edge of such stringer being relatively rigid and having a series of equally spaced out-outs extending into the stringer a distance less than the transverse dimension of the loop-shaped fold thereof and providing a longitudinally extending series of loop-shaped fastener elements having interlocking projections projecting longitudinally of the stringer in one direction for interlocking engagement with the loop-shaped fastener elements on the other stringer, the inner longitudinal sections of the loop-shaped fold from which said elements project diverging toward the free edge of the fold to provide longitudinally extending guideways for a slider and the folded portions of said stringer from which said longitudinal sections extend being in close paralielrelation.

ROBERT C. LEGAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number Italian Oct. 30, 1939 

